Movie Reviews Part 3 - The good, the bad and the ... rentals
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preacha
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eggman88888 said:
haven't seen i am legend, don't really intend to since the ending of the book was so bad-ass and they fucking changed it for the movie.
you definitely feel the 9/11 overtones, but it doesn't beat you over the head with them. it's easy enough to just recline and enjoy on a visceral level, and it's fucking amazing how they managed to do what they did for $30 million as it easily looks more expensive than any movie i've seen in the past 2 years
who_can_say
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I rented Fracture with Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins the other day. Not a bad movie, didnt have the suspense that I was expecting. Solid performances, though is it just me or is Anthony Hopkins just phoning in the same performance lately?
lostNfound
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yeh fractured was just ok i thought as well.
ill be watching these tonight, so ill update later
Beowolf
The Kingdom
Before the devil knows your dead
Saw 4
ill be watching these tonight, so ill update later
Beowolf
The Kingdom
Before the devil knows your dead
Saw 4
Rated E
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preacha said:
Agreed. I just got back from seeing it then.
I loved it.
Do not expect a traditional story line in which a group of people face a problem, overcome, and learn something in the process.
Do not expect the ideas represented to be shoved in your face.
Do not expect the ideas represented to be shoved in your face.
Last edited:
gher
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I just saw Cloverfield. Last bloody time I watch one of those shaky camcorder movies. I felt dizzy.
Don't get me wrong - it was decent. Didn't really blow me away or anything. I was wondering just how much they spent on that movie because the shaky camera view hides a lot. The bits you actually see clearly do look expensive but you can just as easily see how they managed to fake that look.
Don't get me wrong - it was decent. Didn't really blow me away or anything. I was wondering just how much they spent on that movie because the shaky camera view hides a lot. The bits you actually see clearly do look expensive but you can just as easily see how they managed to fake that look.
BlueFractal
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Heima, a music video of Icelandic postrock group Sigur Rós.
Beautiful, utterly beautiful. Songs recorded at various locations in Iceland mixed with short interviews of the band members and a lot of focus on the fantastic scenery in Iceland. Everything felt very genuine, the band members talked relaxed and didn't try to hide their own personality just to look cool or interesting.
High-def trailer
Beautiful, utterly beautiful. Songs recorded at various locations in Iceland mixed with short interviews of the band members and a lot of focus on the fantastic scenery in Iceland. Everything felt very genuine, the band members talked relaxed and didn't try to hide their own personality just to look cool or interesting.
High-def trailer
anna!
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The Golden Compass, as seen by Anna (transposed from blog)
Firstly, the cinematography in this movie is pretty great. It would be difficult not to have beautiful imagery considering the various locations, and the fact that everything is more or less powered by magic, but it must be commended for it anyway. It is fantasy eye candy, perhaps not to the extent of Lord of the Rings (yawn), but being a more modern sort of story anyway, that’s neither here nor there. There are snow-covered peaks and spectacular make believe cities and lovely countryside. Thumbs up for cinematography.
I asked someone on Wednesday, before I went to see it (somewhat reluctantly), what other movies it’s similar to. You know, so I could go in with some idea of the kind of pain I might experience. Having now seen it myself, I would describe it as an emalgamation of Narnia (obviously, if not simply because that’s how it has ticketed itself), Star Wars, The Secret Garden and any movie Nicole Kidman has destroyed with her horrific “acting”.
I’m not sure whether I was asleep or just stupid, but a lot of the anti-religious undertones were lost on me. There is an obvious “God” in an authoritarian government that is sneaky and oppressive, and I’ve read various reviews that liken this to the Catholic Church (being underhanded and manipulative in order to gain control over, well, the whole world) and I suppose that’s accurate. In many ways I thought the characters were quite parallel to those in Narnia, and that perhaps it’s not as much of an antithesis as it would like to think.
Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards - her parents clearly vomited a stream of ’so hot right now’ when they named her) is obnoxious and well experienced in trickery, but is clearly the Very Good Character Who Will Save The Day™. If my kids tried on some of the things she does, they would be grounded till they were married. Nevertheless, we are supposed to be endeared to her and her important quest to save the world, and the weird pre-teen love story she shares with Roger, after bonding over both being orphans, or something.
None of the character development is much good, to be honest. Magda Szubanski’s 45 second role is the best one of the lot, and Kidman just obliterates everything else. Her lacklustre performance (seriously, this woman won an Oscar?) actually seems to rub off on the other actors. Daniel Craig is just James Bond in a big fur coat. Ian McKellen, God love him, is an unconvincing ice bear, but he does have a lovely voice. Actually, it’s very much like the director took a bunch of characters from other movies and put them all in this movie without changing much at all.
Having said all of that, it was entertaining. The story itself is intriguing, and I imagine that the books are worth the read. The concept of the physical demons is interesting and applicable to the world today. The shameless ‘this is a trilogy, you’ll have to wait till the next movie to find out what happens’ is irritating, and the only reason I’ll go to see the next one is to find out who Lyra’s parents really are.
NB: As a parent I must tell you that I don’t think this is child-friendly. It’s only rated PG, but some of the concepts are ones I would consider too scary for my 4 year old. And there are a few scenes that made me jump, and that’s a pretty good indicator that my kids would probably start crying. Keep that in mind. I would suggest maybe 9 or 10 years plus.
Conclusion: Nicole Kidman should never be allowed in front of a camera again. Wait for the DVD unless you’re really hot and need to sit in a cool cinema. Or go and see it with a nerdy boy who will let you sleep on him when it all becomes too much. 6.5/10
Firstly, the cinematography in this movie is pretty great. It would be difficult not to have beautiful imagery considering the various locations, and the fact that everything is more or less powered by magic, but it must be commended for it anyway. It is fantasy eye candy, perhaps not to the extent of Lord of the Rings (yawn), but being a more modern sort of story anyway, that’s neither here nor there. There are snow-covered peaks and spectacular make believe cities and lovely countryside. Thumbs up for cinematography.
I asked someone on Wednesday, before I went to see it (somewhat reluctantly), what other movies it’s similar to. You know, so I could go in with some idea of the kind of pain I might experience. Having now seen it myself, I would describe it as an emalgamation of Narnia (obviously, if not simply because that’s how it has ticketed itself), Star Wars, The Secret Garden and any movie Nicole Kidman has destroyed with her horrific “acting”.
I’m not sure whether I was asleep or just stupid, but a lot of the anti-religious undertones were lost on me. There is an obvious “God” in an authoritarian government that is sneaky and oppressive, and I’ve read various reviews that liken this to the Catholic Church (being underhanded and manipulative in order to gain control over, well, the whole world) and I suppose that’s accurate. In many ways I thought the characters were quite parallel to those in Narnia, and that perhaps it’s not as much of an antithesis as it would like to think.
Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards - her parents clearly vomited a stream of ’so hot right now’ when they named her) is obnoxious and well experienced in trickery, but is clearly the Very Good Character Who Will Save The Day™. If my kids tried on some of the things she does, they would be grounded till they were married. Nevertheless, we are supposed to be endeared to her and her important quest to save the world, and the weird pre-teen love story she shares with Roger, after bonding over both being orphans, or something.
None of the character development is much good, to be honest. Magda Szubanski’s 45 second role is the best one of the lot, and Kidman just obliterates everything else. Her lacklustre performance (seriously, this woman won an Oscar?) actually seems to rub off on the other actors. Daniel Craig is just James Bond in a big fur coat. Ian McKellen, God love him, is an unconvincing ice bear, but he does have a lovely voice. Actually, it’s very much like the director took a bunch of characters from other movies and put them all in this movie without changing much at all.
Having said all of that, it was entertaining. The story itself is intriguing, and I imagine that the books are worth the read. The concept of the physical demons is interesting and applicable to the world today. The shameless ‘this is a trilogy, you’ll have to wait till the next movie to find out what happens’ is irritating, and the only reason I’ll go to see the next one is to find out who Lyra’s parents really are.
NB: As a parent I must tell you that I don’t think this is child-friendly. It’s only rated PG, but some of the concepts are ones I would consider too scary for my 4 year old. And there are a few scenes that made me jump, and that’s a pretty good indicator that my kids would probably start crying. Keep that in mind. I would suggest maybe 9 or 10 years plus.
Conclusion: Nicole Kidman should never be allowed in front of a camera again. Wait for the DVD unless you’re really hot and need to sit in a cool cinema. Or go and see it with a nerdy boy who will let you sleep on him when it all becomes too much. 6.5/10
vanth
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Thanks for that review anna!, I've been planning on seeing the Spiderwick Chronicles. I imagine I still will because I'm a major fantasy genre fan. I would be interested in hearing from someone who has seen it that likes the genre.
Oh, and remember Nicole Kidman won an oscar before she botoxed all emotion out of her face.
Oh, and remember Nicole Kidman won an oscar before she botoxed all emotion out of her face.
CHiLD-0F-THE-BEAT
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^I actually really liked The Golden Compass. Nice review though, anna. 
Rated E
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I saw The Number 23, starring Jim Carey today.
It was a pretty interesting take on conspiracy theories I thought. The most odd thing about it is, watching the main character get so consumed by the idea (the number 23) that he doesn't even know what he is really scared of or what the number means. It just matters that the 'number is everywhere'.
He asks someone in the movie, in his building frantic state "so what does 23 mean anyway? Is it a blessing, is it a curse?" But for some reason I got the idea that he didn't care so much about the answer, he was more interested in the idea that something was up.
The point is brought up, that you can find anything if you're looking hard enough (the idea of Confirmation Bias).
There's quite a few unexpected twists throughout the film, certainly something I enjoy.
The scenes in which Jim Carey is reading from the book (and picturing the book in his mind's eye) are quite well done. They are kind of, purposely just a little bit cheesy, while still bordering on batshit insane. These scenes reminded me of the video game Max Payne, and that in particular is certainly very cool.
So I will say, if you liked: Max Payne, Sin City, Donnie Darko, or just the idea of paranoia. You might like The Number 23 (those titles were just random ones that I just thought of then, so don't take that as some be all and end all comparison.)
Also, one more point. Jim Carey, has really gone the complete opposite direction to the days of Ave Ventura: Pet Detective.
It was a pretty interesting take on conspiracy theories I thought. The most odd thing about it is, watching the main character get so consumed by the idea (the number 23) that he doesn't even know what he is really scared of or what the number means. It just matters that the 'number is everywhere'.
He asks someone in the movie, in his building frantic state "so what does 23 mean anyway? Is it a blessing, is it a curse?" But for some reason I got the idea that he didn't care so much about the answer, he was more interested in the idea that something was up.
The point is brought up, that you can find anything if you're looking hard enough (the idea of Confirmation Bias).
There's quite a few unexpected twists throughout the film, certainly something I enjoy.
The scenes in which Jim Carey is reading from the book (and picturing the book in his mind's eye) are quite well done. They are kind of, purposely just a little bit cheesy, while still bordering on batshit insane. These scenes reminded me of the video game Max Payne, and that in particular is certainly very cool.
So I will say, if you liked: Max Payne, Sin City, Donnie Darko, or just the idea of paranoia. You might like The Number 23 (those titles were just random ones that I just thought of then, so don't take that as some be all and end all comparison.)
Also, one more point. Jim Carey, has really gone the complete opposite direction to the days of Ave Ventura: Pet Detective.
kittymeow
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Yeh me too - Its cliche but my favourite by far is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Absolutely brilliant flick!!
We had to study The Truman Show in grade 12 English too, and even though we had to watch it five times in a term I still think thats a good movie too. So many nuances!
We had to study The Truman Show in grade 12 English too, and even though we had to watch it five times in a term I still think thats a good movie too. So many nuances!
Rated E
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Oh I have to get around to watching Eternal Sunshine.
And Truman Show is pretty cool. I watched it for the first time when I was young and impressionable. I ended up wondering if my life was really a big TV show for a few months, it made me think twice about doing embarrassing things in private, heh.
And Truman Show is pretty cool. I watched it for the first time when I was young and impressionable. I ended up wondering if my life was really a big TV show for a few months, it made me think twice about doing embarrassing things in private, heh.
CHiLD-0F-THE-BEAT
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^I'm the only person I know who hated Eternal Sunshine. 